3D plaster for internal organs

2024: Treatment of patients

In early August 2024, researchers from the United States developed a 3D printed patch for internal organs, primarily for the correction of heart and joint lesions. It has already begun to be used in clinical practice.

A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania has developed a new way to 3D print a material that is both elastic enough and strong enough to withstand stresses on body tissue and easy to mold to match a patient's unique anatomy. The new type of patch adheres easily to wet tissue and can be used to fix internal organs without the use of suture.

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Colorado.edu

Cardiac and cartilaginous tissues are similar in that they are almost incapable of self-healing. After damage, there is no going back, "notes Jason Burdick, professor of chemical and biological engineering. - By developing new, stronger materials that help patients repair the functionality of damaged tissues, we can significantly expand treatment options.

To achieve the preservation of the strength of 3D-printed hydrogels with simultaneous elasticity, Burdick and his colleagues took the example of worms that constantly get tangled around each other and unravel again. The inclusion of such intertwined chains of molecules in the hydrogel made it possible to change its characteristics, ensuring the elasticity of the material being formed. As a result, the team of researchers developed a new 3D printing method known as CLEAR (Continuous-curling after Light Exposure Aided by Redox initiation). Long entangled chains of molecules also provide additional strength, as well as allowing 3D printed materials to adhere to animal tissues and organs, forming a new type of patch. The lab has applied for a patent and plans to begin additional research to assess how tissues respond to the presence of such materials.^[1]

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